Radio classical music pioneer Paul Laumann dies at 89

Paul Laumann's challenge to radio listeners in 1958 resulted in his career as one of Cincinnati's best known voices for classical music.

Laumann, who died Tuesday at age 89, hosted the classical music "Kitchen Koncert" on WKRC-FM and WGUC-FM until retiring in 1986.

The Clifton native and Westwood resident told The Enquirer in 1978 about his on-air comments to WKRC-AM listeners who were upset at the lack of classical music on local airwaves:

"One night, I made a speech on the air and said if the listeners put up a fuss, if they complained loud enough and long enough, they could get classical music on the air," he said.

In the 1960s, Laumann played classical music on sister station WKRC-FM (101.9), in the early years of FM radio. When it switched to a Top 40 format as WKRQ-FM, Laumann's morning "Kitchen Koncert" moved in 1971 to the University of Cincinnati's WGUC-FM (90.9).

"Every morning at 5:30 a.m., Paul would show up impeccably dressed with his record case of personal LPs (records) and a number of notes. This was back in the day when each announcer's show was all his creation," said WGUC-FM executive producer Mark Perzel, who was an overnight announcer in the early 1980s.

"He'd sort through the news I had gathered for him off the wire. He would weave news into his show throughout the morning -- sometimes serious news, other times news with a twist. He had a very droll sense of humor and a pretty much deadpan delivery," Perzel said.

"I always listened to him as I drove home, and learned quite a good deal from his ability to bring life to the music and convey so much meaning in a simple turn of phrase," Perzel said.

After handing over the morning show to announcer John Birge in 1986, Laumann spent much of his time in his garage woodworking shop, said daughter Laura Coorey of Bridgetown.

"We have hundreds of pieces of furniture he made," she said.

Laumann studied drama at the University of Cincinnati after World War II, where he served in the Pacific as an Army photographer.

"He went to New York for a little while and tried his hand at acting, but I don't know when," his daughter said.

He met Lois Masters in the cast of an UC Mummers Guild play, and they married in 1959. They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary last month. Also surviving are two grandchildren.

Visitation is 5 p.m. Thursday, with service at 6:30 p.m., at Dalbert, Woodruff & Isenogle Funeral Home, 2880 Boudinot Avenue. Memorial contributions may be made to ArtsWave, 20 East Central Parkway, Cincinnati 45202.